"I am a politician, not a servant of Gandhi family": Congress' Amethi candidate KL Sharma responds to BJP's 'peon' jibe
Amethi candidate KL Sharma on Sunday said he was a 'pure politician' and not a servant of the family, adding that Union Minister Smriti Irani, who holds the seat currently, will be defeated in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking to on Sunday, the Congress leader said, «It was a decision taken by the party high command. Nobody had been finalised as a candidate for this seat earlier. However, I can say with full confidence and conviction that I will defeat Smriti Irani. This is a big statement I am making today. 'Mai koi Naukri nahi kar raha Gandhi Parivar ki' (I am not a servant of Gandhi family here). I am a seasoned politician and have been so for many years now. I came here in 1983 through my association with the Youth Congress. I am not on the payroll of the Congress. I am a pure politician.»
On the BJP's increased vote share in Amethi and Raebareli in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Sharma said it was a pass muster at distracting public attention from the 'real' issues and that is what they have been doing over the last 10 years in power at the Centre.
«The BJP has weaponised the media (against the Opposition). Leaders and parties in the Opposition are not getting space to pursue and practice their politics. How many times has Rahul-ji been given space? People are questioning them (BJP) on what they have done in the last 10 years but they divert from the real issues and talk about mangalsutras. This election, to my mind, has echoes of 'India Shining' (a campaign by the NDA government under Atal Bihari
